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“Not a lot of time to ensure perfection,” Jason teases.
“I know, but still.” I shrug, earning a growl of annoyance from the tailor.
“I want everything to be perfect for her, especially when this day is only happening because of the rush with her mother trying to screw her over.”
“You mean this day wouldn’t be happening otherwise?” Kevin arches a brow at me.
“No.” I doubt I can answer that reliably. I can’t tell the future. “Yes.” It seems inevitable, though, that Claire and I would be destined to crash and burn together like we have. “I think we would have reached this point without her mother meddling in her life.” But now that the hours are counting down to our wedding, I can’t wait for it to come. “I’m not sure I’d be patient for a longer engagement.”
Jason laughs. “Not like a week is long to begin with.”
Kevin gives me a knowing look, aware from our talk yesterday that the actual agreement to marry with our feelings shared was only a day old.
He doesn’t pipe up or poke fun at me. After a moment of us being measured and having our tuxes adjusted, Jason smiles wide. “And who cares about the timing. Time is all relative anyway, isn’t it? We’re here to live our one life, however long fate decides that can be, and we can only do the best as we can with the time we have.”
“Nicely put, philosopher,” Kevin says.
Jason chuckles. “Look at you two, for example. I know we didn’t have the most conventional childhood, with me so much older by the time you guys came along, then our parents passing and such. There were many days over the years that I wanted to give up hope of you two reconciling and getting over the petty nonsense that kept you distant, like rivals or enemies. And here we are. It took years, but we’re standing here together, not growling or glaring at anyone. It took time for you two to make up and figure out how to be civil, but there’s no point in complaining it took too long or that it is too soon to claim a truce. It happened. And we should be grateful for it. I am.” He rolls his eyes. “It was getting really old, keeping you apart.”
I nod at him.
“You can thank our new sister-in-law for that,” Kevin says. “She didn’t say much when I met her in Frisco, but I saw how much she cared. Her slight ways of defending you challenged me to rethink how I’ve treated you, and I’m a bit ashamed to admit that if it weren’t for her opening my eyes, I might never have thought about talking with you like we have.” Kevin thumps me on my back, pissing off the tailor’s assistant hurrying to perfect his tux. “Sorry, sorry!”
“And the same thing goes for Claire,” Jason advised. “Don’t look at it as happening too sudden or too fast. Don’t worry about the details and making sure the ceremony and day is perfect or not. Be glad and appreciate that you did meet, that you did develop feelings for each other, and count on the gift of having her in your life and sharing her time with you every day that will come.”
I nod at Jason, glad he can impart such logical and comforting advice. He’s right.
“In case it slips my mind to tell you later, I’m happy for you, Sawyer. This is the real deal with Claire, and I’m glad you’ve found her.”
The real deal? Yeah, that is a good view to have of Claire.
And tomorrow, she’ll really be mine.
Back near Breckenridge, we drop off our tuxes before we prepare to head out for a tame bachelor’s night. My brothers, as well as Dalton and Caleb, want to take me out for a night of drinking beer at the nearby bar. The girls are expected to head off to Copper Mountain for a last-minute spa treatment. I have a suspicion that my brothers and friends are trying their hardest to pull off a traditional day of separation, so Claire and I won’t see each other, but I’m pleasantly surprised to see them at the Goldfinch. Lauren forgot her phone, and they doubled back here to grab it.
I sneak away from the guys and run over to steal Claire aside for a moment. All day, I’ve been fretting about her. If she’s excited or scared. If she’s happy with our plans or wishing we could take time to plan a whole production of a wedding package to get through.
She giggles, stepping aside with me. As I secret her away in a room off the main hallway at the massive B&B, I lower my head to hers and kiss her hard.
“I missed you,” I whisper as everyone starts asking where we are.
“Claire!” Aubrey shouts.
“I just saw Sawyer over here a second ago,” Jason says.
Claire bites her lip, whispering back to me, “Missed me? You just saw me this morning when you dropped me off here.”
“That was hours ago.”
She hums against my lips as I steal another kiss. “Well, after tomorrow evening, you won’t be able to get rid of me.”
“Damn right,” I promise.
“We’re really doing this,” she whispers with elation. Her eyes are wide, glimmering with excitement.
“We are. And it’s the real deal,” I tell her, borrowing Kevin’s words. “This is so very real for me.”
She nods, sighing as she hugs me closer. “Me too. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I’m not just doing this for any other reason than the way I love you and want to spend the rest of my life getting to know you.”
